Research Highlights

Soy-Based Feeds Critical Part of Plans for Offshore Aquaculture Operation in Florida

By Sarah Hill

Social license is a critically important part of the agriculture industry that is often forgotten about but is rising as consumers become more aware and selective about what products and companies they support. The Center for Food Integrity (CFI), an organization that aims to build consumer trust in food systems, defines social license as “the privilege of operating with minimal formalized restrictions.” Gulfstream Aquaculture, LLC, based in Miramar Beach, FL, has partnered with CFI to conduct community advisory panel (CAP) meetings to discern the local social license and tolerance for a business raising food fish in southern Florida.

Gulfstream Aquaculture is currently conducting siting analysis to find the best locations coastally or in deep water for different types of fish, including almaco jack (Kampachi), cobia, dolphin fish (mahi mahi), redfish (red drum) and red snapper. Those species were selected because the rearing practices and technology are well-known for warm water, offshore aquaculture. 

The company will go through all the permitting processes with the EPA and work with the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to plan their offshore operations over the next two to three years.

Building Social License

“We researched and wanted to invite participants from a broad base of different disciplines and walks of life,” says Dennis Peters, President and CEO, Gulfstream Aquaculture. “In 2023, we hosted six monthly meetings, which were very successful, and we wanted to continue the engagement into another six meetings in 2024.”

Peters reported that the feedback from stakeholders has been very curious, yet positive. When the stakeholders first began attending the CAP meetings, the majority of attendees knew nothing about offshore aquaculture, or aquaculture in general, and were surprised to learn that an aquaculture operation was being considered for their community. 

“The participants asked lots of questions, and once they received some education, refined those questions and were provided with key areas of concern and risk for further evaluation,” Peters says. “Offshore aquaculture is still a relatively young industry in the U.S., and many consumers and communities aren’t familiar with what’s involved in the industry.”

Subject matter experts on various aspects of offshore aquaculture provided the educational aspect of the meetings by addressing participants’ specific areas of interest. Feed is the number one operational expense in raising fish, and fish feeds have historically been comprised primarily of fish meal and fish oil, especially for carnivorous species. Soy is a standard product considered to replace traditional ingredients in fish feeds, so the aquaculture industry has a significant economic interest in the soy industry.

“Sustainable aquaculture is always looking to find ways to feed the fish using diets comprised of ingredients that are conscious of resource use,” Peters explains. “We look to other feed sources to substitute the protein and oil provided traditionally by fish meal and oil with sustainable agricultural products like soy.”

What’s Next

“It’s still a long road to the end game, which is developing a business that will initially raise approximately 1,500 metric tons of fish for food, including processing, distribution and sales,” Peters adds. “We’re wanting to get a full evaluation of our business plan before we publicly share the results.”

After completing the 2024 CAP meetings, Gulfstream Aquaculture will confirm the site location and begin the application process for their first permit. Although Gulfstream Aquaculture plans to start with a modest operation with partner company Ocean Era, long-term expansion plans are also on the table. The company aims to eventually build up to a commercial operation producing 3,000 metric tons of fish per year—the necessary minimum size to achieve profitability, according to Peters.

Published: Nov 25, 2024